16. Dr Andrew Buist

Since last year’s victorious vote in Scotland to make significant changes to the national GMS contract, Dr Andrew Buist has been leading the delivery of the three-year reforms.

The first phase is now complete and for the Scottish GP Committee chair, the challenge is ensuring primary care improvement plans – which have been submitted by all health boards to the Government about how to bring in the contract changes locally – ‘actually deliver on the promises of new services, such as for pharmacy, immunisations, and care treatment services, plus the introduction of mental health workers, physios and urgent care workers’.

With the ultimate aim of the new contract being to reduce GP workload, the rest of the UK will continue to watch closely.

It was originally feared GPs may have to pay for the contribution hike – from 14.9% to 20.9% from April – but discussions with the Government led to reassurance practices would not face cashflow problems.